DAKAR: Senegal on Sunday suspended all sports and cultural events until elections at the end of the month, a day after eight people died in a football stadium disaster.

Legislative elections are due on July 30 and tensions are running high with prominent opposition leader and Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall campaigning from jail.

“All sporting and cultural activities are banned across the national territory for the rest of the electoral campaign,” Seydou Gueye, a spokesman for the prime minister, said.

A judicial inquiry will be opened to investigate the tragedy and determine who was responsible for Saturday’s incident, he said.

A wall collapsed in a Dakar stadium during extra time at the League Cup final between Stade de Mbour and US Ouakam which was marred by clashes between rival fans and police use of tear gas.

The resulting confusion triggered a stampede and sixty people were injured.

Government spokesman Seydou Gueye on Sunday condemned the violence, adding that authorities moved the injured to hospitals around Dakar. He said an investigation will be opened into the incident.

Campaigning for the elections by the ruling coalition of President Macky Sall was also suspended Sunday out of respect for the victims.

The president said in a statement Sunday he was “outraged” at the lives lost, promising better security in Senegal’s stadiums and swift justice for the families affected.

Deadly stampedes at football matches have been common in Africa, where safety standards are low. At least 17 people died and scores were injured in a stampede in a match in Angola in February, when hundreds of supporters stormed the stadium.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2017